African Safari From the Sky

Road Warrior provides travel tips from those who know best: busy executives and other globetrotters. See previous columns

Hans Friederich, 58, is the Beijing-based director-general of the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan.

The Dutch-born Mr. Friederich, who has also lived in Botswana, Kenya, Vietnam and Thailand, talks to the Journal about spotting giraffes from the air, Kenya’s best crab and flying backward on military jets.

How often do you travel?

Twice a month, both inside China and to our offices around the world, from Switzerland to India to Africa.

Favorite airline?

Bangkok Airways. I lived in Bangkok and traveled frequently into and out of that city, so I have a gold card for that airline. I enjoy their lounge and the welcoming Thai spirit.

Any memorable flights?

Once I was on a flight in a Cesna, when I worked in Botswana. I was asked to check out an agricultural development plan from the air, which meant several hours’ flying from Gaborone northward, over the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and part of Chobe National Park. Seeing elephants and giraffes from the air is an unforgettable experience.

Any others?

Once I was on a flight from Entebbe, Uganda, to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania on an older plane that looked like it had been used as a cargo plane. They had bolted in some seats, but half the plane was full of large crates. I was glad when we touched down on the other side.

Working for an ecological organization, do you try to keep a small carbon footprint?

I wish I could take trains more often, since it’s better for the environment. But in Europe planes are often cheaper. In China, I’m looking forward to taking the high-speed train.

Favorite travel gadgets?

I always must have an eye mask. I try to sleep on flights, so I have a whole collection of them. Noise doesn’t bother me, but light does.

How do you cope with jet lag?

I always find a hotel with a pool. I find swimming is the best cure for jet lag. It’s relaxing. But I do find that jet lag is worse the older I get.

Always sit on the aisle. It’s good to move around, and you don’t have to climb over people who are sleeping. They say you get a better view from the window seat, but once you’re above the clouds, you can’t see much. And on international flights you have to have the window shade down anyway.

Favorite hotel?

The Vintage Hotel in Brussels, off Avenue Louise. It’s a small place and when you stay there a few times, they know you.

Memorable restaurant?

A seafood restaurant called the Tamarind in Nairobi that specializes in crab. It’s one of the best seafood restaurants in Kenya.

Best place to drink coffee?

I find it sad that coffee is becoming very internationalized, with the same shops all over. In Switzerland, every village has its own coffee shop. We had our favorite in Rolle, and you would see famous people there, like French film director Jean-Luc Godard. He’d sit there and drink coffee and nobody would bother him.

Any good places to buy bamboo?

They’re developing world-class furniture in Anji County in China’s Zhejiang province. Bamboo is no longer a product just for cheap garden furniture. You can make beautiful desks and tables.

Where would you like to go that you haven’t been?

Bhutan. I’ve been to Nepal, but Bhutan is a bit more secretive. And I would love to visit more Indonesian islands. I haven’t been to Bali yet.

Worst travel experience?

Going through security in Delhi. I arrived in the evening and went to a nearby hotel for a few hours’ rest. I got to the airport in what I thought was plenty of time, but it took me three hours to get through security.

Best travel experience?

My first international flight. I was flying from the U.K. as a member of a Royal Geographical Society expedition to Sarawak, Malaysia, on a Royal Air Force jet. Apparently, on military planes you have to sit backward for security reasons. It’s a very strange experience to fly backward all the way to Asia.